The Browns’ decision to hire Rob Chudzinski continues the trend of NFL jobs being snatched up by offensive-oriented coaches. And for the Browns, does that ever make sense.

Over the past five seasons, no team has been as consistently dreadful on offense as the Browns. This past season, they ranked 25th in total offense, and that was an improvement. In 2011 and 2010, they were 29th. In 2009, they were dead last (32nd). In 2008, they were 31st.

Browns new coach: Rob Chudzinski has never been a head coach, so we'll be finding out whether or not he can handle the demands of the job, and not just running an offense. (AP Photo)

That’s why it is short-sided to bash the Chudzinski hire before he ever coaches a game in Cleveland. No, he has never been a head coach before. But neither had John Harbaugh before he became coach of the Ravens. Neither had Mike Tomlin before he became head coach of the Steelers.

The Browns chased big names, but some of them simply weren’t coming. They never had a serious chance to lure Nick Saban away from Alabama. Chip Kelly of Oregon would have been an intriguing choice, but hiring him would have been more expensive with more risk. Kelly probably would have wanted to blow up much of the Browns’ roster to fit his style both offensively and defensively. But if Kelly Ball did not work out in the NFL, he could have easily bolted back to college after a few years, leaving the Browns high and dry again.

Former Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt was also interviewed and considered a front-runner. But the Cardinals’ disastrous quarterback situation last season may have made the Browns leery.

Chudzinski, 44, is an NFL guy, committed for the long haul. The last time the Browns ranked in the top 10 offensively was 2007, which was also the last time they had a winning season (10-6). Chudzinski was the offensive coordinator of that team. He is an Ohio guy, a native of Toledo who grew up rooting for the Browns. This is Chudzinski’s dream job. No doubt he’ll put his heart and soul into it.

You can bet new Browns CEO Joe Banner views Chudzinski as a coach with similarities to Andy Reid, who worked with Banner during Reid’s best days with the Eagles. Reid was not a big name when he came to Philadelphia, but he was ready to become a winning head coach. That’s what Banner and new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam believe they have found with Chudzinski.

Here’s what we don’t know about Chudzinski. Can he lead an entire team the way a head coach must? Can he deal with being the front guy, the guy who has to handle the bulk of the criticism and everything that comes across a head coach’s desk? After Chudzinski’s success with the Browns in 2007, they regressed in 2008, his second year as offensive coordinator. Same thing happened with the Panthers during Chudzinski’s two years as their offensive coordinator. In 2011, Cam Newton rookie passing records. Last season, Newton and the Panthers’ offense took a step back. Coincidence? Or is sustaining success a problem for Chudzinski?

We’re about to find out.

Chudzinski is already moving quickly. According to FOX Sports and the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, Chudzinski will hire Norv Turner as the Browns’ offensive coordinator. The two men are friends and worked together with the Chargers. Turner is a proven mediocre head coach but also a proven splendid coordinator. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers loves Turner. So does Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman. Turner and Aikman won two Super Bowls with the Cowboys when Turner was coordinator.

Having Turner as a play-caller and coordinator would put those roles in capable hands, and take some of the burden off Chudzinski. He’ll have enough on his plate, trying to evaluate second-year quarterback Brandon Weeden and coaching a franchise that hasn’t won more than five games in any of the past five seasons.

With Trent Richardson and Josh Gordon, however, Chudzinski has some young talent to build around, and he has the kind of opportunity that every young coach wants. Chudzinski has already scored his first victory as Browns coach. He beat out bigger names to get this job.